Game-board



(No Model.)

A. O. G. WILLIAMS-FOOTE.

GAME BOARD.

No. 473,992. Patented May 3, 1892.

" lliiiillll'illlv s I l I marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

GAME-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,992, dated May 3, 1892.

Application filed July 31, 1891. Serial No. 401.251. (N0 model.)

To ztZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMBROSE C. G. NVIL- LIAMS-FOOTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference This invention relates to a parlor game to be played by means of the apparatus shown in the drawings; and it consists, essentially, of a stand or case provided with a flexible diaphragm marked off on its upper surface in a novel way, and in the center of said diaphragm is placed a playing-piece, which by a quick rap of the finger or thumb on the under side of the diaphragm is flipped upward and lands in a position in the diagram marked off on the flexible diaphragm.

The invention consists, further, in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be herein-after more fully described, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the game board or case provided with a flexible diaphragm on which is marked off a novel form of diagram; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a part plan of the under side of the gameboard, provided with an opening and a pivoted cover for the reception of the playingpieces when not in use. Figs. 4. and 5 show two sets of playing-pieces intended for usein connection with the game. The views illustrate the two sides of the playing-pieces.

Like letters of reference are used to designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the game-board, which consists, essentially, of a flexible diaphragm a, of any suitable material, stretched across the annular edge 12 of the supporting-frame I), provided with any suitable number of legs 19 which may be made to fold beneath the frame when the gameboard is not in use. In order to retain the diaphragm in its stretched position upon the frame Z),a ring 0 is employed, which is forced down over the edge of the diaphragm, so that the latter is firmly held between the edge 5 of the frame I) and the lower part c of the ring. Said ring 0 may be provided with any suitable number of rods (0', screwed into the side of said ring, said rods projecting downwardly and into and through the screw-heads a in the side of the supporting-frame, being provided on their-projecting ends with thumbnuts 0. By this means the skin or diaphragm a can be tightly stretched over the frame I) in the manner of a skin on a banjo when'in use, and when not in use said nuts a can. be partially unscrewed to relieve the pressure upon the diaphragm, as will be evident.

The frame I), as will be seen from Fig. 2, may be provided with the inwardly-projecting sides I), which, near the center of the device, project upwardly and form an annular ring 19 extending to very near the under sur face of the diaphragm. The frame I) is preferably made from sheet metal, and may be provided with an opening I) for the storing of the playing-pieces f when not in use. A cover 6 which is made from spring metal, is pivoted by means of a pin 6 above this opening, and said cover can be made to slide over the opening,being held in its normal position by a raised portion or projection b in the side 19 by the pressure exerted by the cover against said projection, as will be seen from Figs. 2 and 3; or said cover may be provided with a recess on its under side to be engaged by the said projection.

The upper surface of the game-board or diaphragm a is provided with a suitable diagram, the arrangement of which is substantially as follows: In the center of the diaphragm is the starting-place, which is of the proper size and is bounded by a border or ring 6. Be tween the outer edge of the diaphragm and said border or ring a is arranged a second border or ring 6. By this arrangement the diaphragm is divided into three spaces c c and e. The space a is provided with any desirable number of counting-spots e of any color, and with the smaller spots 6 of one color, and with a black spot 6 The playing-pieces f may be variously colored or they may be made of different pieces of metal-such as copper,

brass, &c.to distinguish one players pieces I from another piece. One side of the playingpieces is left perfectly plain and the other side has a star or other suitable design thereon, the purpose of which will be described farther on.

The game can be played by two or more players in the following manner: Suppose there are two players. Each player provides himself with the same number of playingpieces of the same color, so that one players pieces can be distinguished from the pieces of the other player. The first player may play all his pieces in succession, and after making his score he removes his pieces, when the next player begins in the same manner, and the player making the highest score is declared the winner; or the players can alternate, in which case all the pieces are left on the diaphragm until all have played their pieces. For simplification in the following description,Iwill let the first player play all his pieces. One of the playing-pieces f is placed in the center field 6 The player then inserts his or her hand into the open space I), formed by the annular ring b beneath the diaphragm, and by striking the thumb or forefinger against the under side of the diaphragm the piece on the field e is caused to jump up through the air and fall upon some other part of the diaphragm. When the playing-piece falls into the field 2 it does not count; but if it falls into the field f, not covering any one of the spots therein, with the star side up, it scores five points. Should the plain side be presented, however, it counts nothing. Then the piecef rests upon one of the spots 6 with the plain side presented, ten is counted, and

when on one of the spots 6 with thestar up the player scores twenty. Should his playingpiece rest upon one of the smaller spaces or spots (1 he scores twenty-five with the plain side up and fifty with the star side presented.

On the black spot the same scores are made, but they count in favor of the opponent. WVhcn there are more than two players, such scores countin favor of all other players. In this manner a very interesting game is the result and the player can play all his pieces, scoring the result in the end.

Owing to the vibration of the diaphragm in playing one piece, other pieces already played will often assume other positions, either to an advantage or to the disadvantage of some one of the players.

When the players play alternately, one piece covered by the opponent counts only for the latter in the same manner as if the first piece had not been played; but should two of which will afiord great amusement and provides a pleasant diversion to the players.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a game apparatus, the herein-described playing-pieces, in combination with a gameboard consisting of a supporting-frame and a flexible diaphragm thereon, a diagram on said diaphragm comprising therein the three fields e c and c and counting-spots in said field 6 substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a game apparatus, the herein-described playing-pieces, in combination with a gameboard consisting of a supporting-frame and a flexible diaphragm thereon, a diagram on said diaphragm comprising therein the three fields e c and c counting-spots in said field e and a ring 0 and means connecting said ring with the supporting-frame for stretching the diaphragm, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a game apparatus, the herein-described playing-pieces, in combination with a gameboard consisting of a supporting-frame and a flexible diaphragm thereon, adiagram on said diaphragm, comprising therein three fields e c and efl-counting-spots e and e, and a black spot 6 in said field e, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a game apparatus, the herein-described playing-pieces, in combination with a game'- board consisting of a supporting-frame and a flexible diaphragm thereon, a diagram on said diaphragm comprising therein-the three fields e c and c counting-spots e and c and a black spot 6 in said field e, a ring 0, and means connecting said ring with the supporting-frame for stretching the diaphragm, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The herein-described game apparatus, consisting of a supporting-frame b and a diaphragm a, said frame having inwardly-projecting sides 11 and a central opening for the insertion of the hand, for the purposes set forth.

6. The herein-described game apparatus, consisting of a supporting-frame Z) and a diaphragm a, said frame having inwardly-projecting sides b and a central opening for the insertion of the hand, a ring 0, and means connecting said ring with the supporting-frame for stretching the diaphragm, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The herein-described game apparatus,

AMBROSE C. G. WILLIAMS-FOOTE.

Witnesses: a

FREDK. O. FRAENTZEL, ARTHUR OREssE. 

